10.4.1.3 Livestock, fishery, aquaculture

Consumption of animal products such as meat and poultry has increased steadily in comparison to milk and milk products-linked protein diets in the past few decades (FAO, 2003). However, in most regions of Asia (India, China, and Mongolia) pasture availability limits the expansion of livestock numbers. Cool temperate grassland is projected to shift northward with climate change and the net primary productivity will decline (Sukumar et al., 2003; Christensen et al., 2004; Tserendash et al., 2005). The limited herbaceous production, heat stress from higher temperature, and limited water intake due to a decrease in rainfall could cause reduced milk yields in animals and an increased incidence of some diseases.

The Asia-Pacific region is the world’s largest producer of fish, from both aquaculture and capture fishery sectors. Recent studies suggest a reduction of primary production in the tropical oceans because of changes in oceanic circulation in a warmer atmosphere. The tuna catch of East Asia and South-East Asia is nearly one-fourth of the world’s total. A modelling study showed significant large-scale changes of skipjack tuna habitat in the equatorial Pacific under projected warming scenario (Loukos et al., 2003). Marine fishery in China is facing threats from over fishing, pollution, red tide, and other climatic and environmental pressures. The migration route and migration pattern and, hence, regional catch of principal marine fishery species, such as ribbon fish, small and large yellow croakers, could be greatly affected by global climate change (Su and Tang, 2002; Zhang and Guo, 2004). Increased frequency of El Niño events could likely lead to measurable declines in fish larvae abundance in coastal waters of South and South-East Asia. These phenomena are expected to contribute to a general decline in fishery production in the coastal waters of East, South and South-East Asia. Arctic marine fishery would also be greatly influenced by climate change. Moderate warming is likely to improve the conditions for some economically gainful fisheries, such as cod and herring. Higher temperatures and reduced ice cover could increase productivity of fish-prey and provide more extensive habitats. In contrast, the northern shrimp will likely decrease with rise in sea-surface temperatures (ACIA, 2005).

The impact of climate change on Asian fishery depends on the complicated food chains in the surrounding oceans, which are likely to be disturbed by the climate change. Fisheries at higher elevations are likely to be adversely affected by lower availability of oxygen, due to a rise in surface air temperatures. In the plains, the timing and amount of precipitation could also affect the migration of fish species from the river to the floodplains for spawning, dispersal and growth (FAO, 2003). Future changes in ocean currents, sea level, sea-water temperature, salinity, wind speed and direction, strength of upwelling, the mixing layer thickness and predator response to climate change have the potential to substantially alter fish breeding habitats and food supply for fish and ultimately the abundance of fish populations in Asian waters (IPCC, 2001).